Friday, July 30, 2010

Chewy Flour Tortillas

Until my friend Melissa sends me her mother's recipe for tortillas I will have to make due. (If you are eating tortillas not made by Aralie Warren then you, know it or not, are making due as well.)

I tried out this recipe (found HERE) because it seemed simple. The recipe only has a few ingredients and it comes together pretty quickly. This recipe gives you thick, chewy tortillas.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup luke warm milk

Directions:

Stir together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and vegetable oil to the lukewarm milk and whisk briefly to incorporate. Gradually add the milk to the flour, and work the mixture into a dough. It will be sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for about 2 minutes (fold and press, fold and press). The kneading will take care of the stickiness. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes. (This dough will not rise, but it needs a rest.)
Divide your dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them, and let them rest again for about 20 minutes. Avoid letting them touch, if you don't want them to stick together.
Dust your work surface with flour. Working one at a time, remove each piece of dough and pat it into a 5-inch circle. With a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla, working from the center out, until you have a 7- or 8-inch tortilla a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet or griddle. It will begin to blister. Let it cook for 30 seconds, turn it, and let the other side cook for 30 seconds. Remove the tortilla, place it in a napkin-lined basket and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
Although flour tortillas, like corn tortillas, are best if eaten right after they are made, these tortillas will freeze well. Wrap them tightly in plastic, and they will keep, frozen, for several weeks. To serve tortillas that have been frozen, let them thaw and come to room temperature, then wrap them in aluminum foil and heat them in a warm oven. Microwaving tends to toughen them.



(Jacob and Finnley enjoying the fruits of my labor)

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